Soccer Manager Strikes Batman Pose On Top Of Stands Guard Rail In Defiance Of His Sending Off

Late in yesterday’s Scottish Premier League match between Kilmarnock and Inverness which ended in a 1-1 draw, Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels kicked a water bottle in frustration when a penalty was not awarded to his team. Shiels, who’s only days removed from a four-match ban, was sent off by the referee. In response, Shiels skulked away, kicked a sideline advertisement and continued to loiter on the pitch.

The referee then strode over to Shiels once more and kindly bid him adieu with an open-handed point towards the stands. Slowly, Shiels meandered back towards the bench. But instead of walking off the pitch completely, he followed the referee’s direction and entered the stands, climbing the guard rail and standing on top of it. Dirty Tackle notes that Shiels’ pose is very Batman-like, and photographic evidence confirms such suspicions:

But moments later that defiance was quashed by the slight nudging of a handful of security officials, who ordered Shiels down. He complied, putting an end to his oddly childish protest.

After the match Shiels assured reporters that no further punishment will be handed down, and the whole thing erupted by accident:

“Shiels said: ‘I was frustrated he didn’t give the penalty and I turned round and kicked fresh air and there was a bottle lying on its belly and it touched the bottle.